Venetian blind construction



D86. 17, 1940. H, K, LQRENTZEN 2,22 5,062

VENETIA BLIND CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 1e, 19:59

' //Vva ATTORNEYS '.IHHHHHMW I f. Panefp'ee. 11,194.6; f. j i fz2-25,062? l UNITED `l "S'rfA'lES P-AT'ENT @ppl-CE1- l.

vENE'rrAN BLIND' CONSTRUCTION' vHans K.'Lorentzen, Montclair, N. J.,assignor to Lorentzen Hardware Mi Corp., New York, N. Y., a corporationof New York Application August 16, 1939, Serial No. 290,386 11 Claims.(Cl. 156-17) This invention relates to improvements in ple, that showncomprises a worm, a gear sec- Venetian blind constructions and moreparticu.-` tor in mesh therewith and having a fitting enlarly toimprovements in fittings for use on tilt i gaging part formed integrallywith the gear secbars of Venetian blinds whereby bars of extreme tor. Apulley is secured at one end of the Worm length can be supported simplyand efficiently. whereby the worm can be rotated by a guard In theconstruction of Venetian blinds of conor other suitable member passingover the pulley. siderable length, it is necessary to provide means yvThe fittings of the present invention are adaptof support for the tiltbar intermediate the ends ed tovbe used in conjunction with the tiltmechathereof, such support being auxiliary to the supnism just describedand in conjunction with the lo port provided by fittings applied totheends of bracket located at the other end of the tilt bar. the tilt barand engaging supporting members The fitting adapted for engagement witha part fastened to a head bar or other supporting strucof the gearsector is made from sheet metal and ture. Heretofore, various types ofsuspending is so formed as to have flat prongs, the outer devices havebeen used but all of such devices edges of which are substantiallyparallel, such have possessed inherent disadvantages,`such as edgeportions terminating in points, and the 15 requiring the formation oftransverse grooves in .prongs have their inner edges provided with thetilt bar, actually cutting the tilt bar into a teeth. y Extendingsubstantially in parallelism number of sections whereby the suspendingcie vwith theprongs but at a different elevation is a vices can beattached between sections, and oth-l tab portion connected to the legportions by an erwise weakening the tilt bar so that it is subjectintermediate part. This tab portion is adapted 20 to breakage eitherduring manufacture or during'v to enter a slot in a part of the gearsector so use. that when the fitting is attached to a tilt bar, ro-

An object of the present invention is to protation of the gear sectorabout its axis will cause vide a Venetian blind construction wherein therotation of the tilt bar through the fitting. The

tilt bar is mounted for rotation in such fashion l fitting for theopposite end of the tilt bar is 25 that simple suspension devices can beassociated made in similar fashion to that previously detherewithintermediate the ends of the bar. scribed with the exception that the-portion in Another object of the invention is to provide parallelismwith the prongs is in the form of a a Venetian blind construction inwhich the tilt `trunnion to be seated in a suitable recess or slot baris mounted for rotation about an axis which in the bracket so thatrotation of the tilt bar 80 is elevated to a point at least above thebody of can be accomplished. These two fittings are so the bar, suchlocation being either coincident proportioned that when they areproperly applied with the top surface of the bar or elevated an to atilt bar, i. e., the prongs forced into the ends even greater amount. ofthe tilt bar midway between the top and bot- A further object of theinvention is to provide torn edges thereof, the tab on onefltting and 35a Venetian blind construction in which use is the trunnion on the otherdefine an axis of romade of ordinary hooks and eyes for suspendingtation for the tilt bar which is elevated to a a tilt bar intermediatethe ends thereof. point at least coincident with the plane of the Astill further object of the invention is to top surface of the tilt barand if desired this axis 4o provide fittings for Venetian blinds, thefittings of elevation can be still further elevated. n being of suchcharacter, that when assembled in e The purpose of this arrangement isto permit the normal fashion with a tilt bar, such fittings the use ofsimple hook and eye combinations have parts which define an axis ofrotation for spaced atV desired points intermediate the ends l the tiltbar which is above the body of 'the of the tilt bar so that a bar ofconsiderable length bar. can be supported against sagging. Since the 45In carrying lout the foregoing and other obeyes of the combinations areattached to the jects of the invention, a Venetian blind embodytop ofthe tilt bar with the hooks pivotally ating the same is constructed of ahead bar or tached to the head bar it follows that the hooks othersupporting member from which is suspendcan be engaged with the eyes sothat this comed for rotary movement a tilt bar. The suspenbination formsin effect a hinge with the axis 50 sion is carried out by means of atilt mechanism thereof in coincidence with the axis defined by fastenedto the head bar and by a bracket at the parts of the fittings. Further,to prevent sagopposite end of the tilt bar such bracket also beging ofthe blind construction use may be made ing supported by the head bar.`The tilt mechaof a simplied form of bracket which briefly connism maybe of any-desired character for examstitutes two parts in substantialparallelism, one 55 part having its principal portion in the nature I lof a-central tongue and the other'part having sheet metal and theconstruction of the two parallel parts is such that these braces can bemade from a strip of metal without any appreciable waste of material.

Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentby reference to the following detailed description read in the light ofthe accompanying drawing wherein Fig. 1 is a front view of a. part of aVenetian` blind construction embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a. plan view of a tilt bar made in accordance with thisinvention;

Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview ofone of the fittings embodied in theinvention;

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the other fitting; Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview of a bracket forming part of this invention;

f Fig. 6 is a plan view of a strip of metal, such viewillustrating themanner in which a series of blanks for the brackets of Fig. 5 can bestamped or otherwise produced from such strip without any appreciablewaste of material.

Referring to the drawing and particularly to Fig. 1, I0 indicatesgenerallyl a head bar for av Venetian blind construction, such bar beingshown broken intermediate its lengths. This bar can be attached eitherto the under surface of a Window frame or in front of the window frame.In the event the bar is of such considerable length that sagging thereofis possible, use may be made of a bracket of the nature shown in Fig. 5.This bracket, indicated generally at II, has an intermediate portion I2connecting a tongue part I4 and two spaced leg parts I5, the tongue partI4 and the leg parts I5 being in substantial parallelism. Theintermediate part I2 is provided with two counter-sunk holes I6 whilethe leg parts I5 are provided with four countersunk holes I1.

The bracket II can be stamped from strip metal, the first operationbeing to blank the strip in the fashion shown in Fig. 6, wherein it willbe seen that each tonguel4 is formed from material removed from betweenthe legs I5. After the blank has been formed it can be provided with thenecessary apertures and then shaped into the form shown in Fig. 5.

A bracket of the character illustrated by the member Il can be securedeither to a front surface of a window frame or to the under surface ofthe top of a window frame by the passage o* screws either through holesI 6 or holes I'I When so fastened in position the head bar I0 can restbetween the tongue I4 and the legs I5 and be supported by the bracket inthe manner shown in Fig. 1. This arrangement prevents sagging of headbar of any considerable length, -and the number of brackets used dependson the length of the head bar.

Secured toand depending from the head bar I I is a tilt mechanism madeup in some conventional fashion and comprising a pulley 20 on one end ofa shaft to which is secured a worm (not shown) meshing with a gearsector (also not shown) which sector has as a part thereof asubstantially U-shaped portion 2|. Also secured to erally at 3| and-32.'I'he fitting 3| is stamped from sheet metal of suitable gauge in suchform as to provide two at prongs 34 having straight outer edgesterminating in points and having the inner edges provided with teeth 35.Extending at right angles to the rear ends of the prongs 34 is a flatintermediate portion 36 vand extending at right angles tothe portion 36is a fiat tab 31. Tab 31 isin substantially parallelism to the fiatprongs 34. .The fitting 3I is adapted to be attached to a tilt bar 30 byforcing the prongs 34 into the end of the bar intermediate the upper andlower surfaces thereof. When a fitting is forced into a bar of properdimensions, it will be found that the tab 31 extends from 'the bar withthe lower surface of the tab at least as high as the upper surface ofthe bar. This tab is adapted to be inserted into a slot provided in thearbor 2|; The fitting 32 is made in the same manner as the fitting v3Iwith one exception. Fitting 32 has two fiat prongs 38, the inner edgesof which have teeth 39. This fitting also has a right angularintermediate part 40 but, instead of tab 31, fitting 32 has a trunnionpin 4I extending from the part 40 in such a manner that the axis of'`pin 4I is in substantially parallelism with the flat prongs 38. Thisfitting is designed to 'be forced into one end of a tilt bar in the samemanner as the fitting 3| and when the bar is of the proper dimensions,it will be found that trunnion pin 4I has its axis lying above the uppersurface of the tilt bar. The trunnion pin 4I is adapted to be receivedin a suitable recess in the bracket 25 in conventional manner and may beretained therein by a latch or keeper 42. When the tilt bar is ofconsiderable length, weight of the blind may cause sagging of the barintermediate its ends unless some intermediate support is provided. Whenfittings of the type shown at 3| and 32 are used, it is possible to makeuse of hook and eye assemblies as intermediate supports. For example,referring to Figs. 1 and 2, eyes 45 can be screwed into the top surfaceof the tilt bar 30 and hooks 46 attached to the under surface of thehead bar by eyes 41.

When one or more of the hook and eye assemtop surface of the tilt bar sothat when a hook and eye arrangement is used it is possible to keep theaxis of rotation defined by the hook and eye coincident with the axis ofrotation defined by fittings 3l and 32. In other words, the axis definedby these fittings can be at such a location as to coincide. with theaxis of rotation defined by the hook and eye.

The use of the hook and eye intermediate lsupporting arrangementprevents anyweakening of the tilt bar so that the danger, inherent inother devices heretofore used, of breakage of the tilt bar either duringmanufacture of the Ablind or during use is substantially prevented. Thenumber of intermediate supports, i. e., the hook and eye arrangements,depends entirely on the length of the tilt bar.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides aVenetian blind construction wherein the blind can be of considerablelength without incurring the liability of sagging of intermediate partsthereof both of 'the head bar or supporting device and of the tilt bar.To this end the invention provides fittings which can engage ends oftilt bars; fittings which can be used as intermediate supportingbrackets for head bars and fittings which can be used as intermediatesupporting devices for tilt bars. It is to be understood that theinvention can be modified beyond the illustrated embodiments; in view ofwhich anylimitations imposed thereon are to be only those set forth inthe following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a Venetian blind construction a supporting member, a tilt bar,means carried by said supporting member for supporting said tilt bar'for rotation relative to said supporting member and fittings secured tosaid tilt bar and engaging said means, said fittings being so shapedthat the axis of rotation of the tilt bar is above the top surface ofsaid bar.

2. In a Venetian blind construction a supporting member, a tilt bar,means rotatably supportsecured to the ends of said tilt bar and having`connecting portions so disposed relative to said tilt bar that the axisof rotation thereof is elevated at least to the plane of the top of saidbar.

4. In a Venetian blind construction oi considerable length, a supportingmember, a tilt bar, means carried by said supporting member forsupporting said tilt bar for rotation relative to said supporting memberand ttings secured to said tilt bar and engaging said means, said ttingsbeing so shaped that the axis of rotation of 'the tilt bar is above 'thetop surface of said bar, and an intermediate supporting assembly betweensaid supporting member and said tilt bar. said assembly having its axisof rotation in coincidence with the axis defined by said fittings.

5. In a. Venetian blind construction a supporting member, a tilt barrotatably supported below said supporting member, said tilt bar havvingsecured thereto fittings so shaped that the axis of rotation of the tiltbar is above the body of said bar. and an intermediate support for saidtilt bar, said support having i-ts axis of rotation above the body ofsaid bar.

6. In a Venetian blind construction a supporting member. a tilt bar ofconsiderable length,

means for connecting said tilt bar to said supporting member forrelative rotation, said means comprising in Lpart fittings secured tothe ends of said tilt bar and having connecting por-tions so disposedrelative to said tilt bar that the axis of rotation thereof is elevatedat least to the plane of the top of said bar, and an intermediatesupport for said tilt bar, said support forming a hinge connectionsubstantially coaxial with the axis of rotation defined by said ttings.

7. In a Venetian blind construction a supporting member, a tilt barrotatably supported below said supporting member, said tilt bar havingsecured thereto fittings so shaped that the axis of rotation of the-tilt bar is above the body of said bar, and an intermediate support forsaid tilt bar comprising a hook and eye assembly between said supportingmember and the top of said tilt bar.

8. In a Venetian blind construction a supporting member, a -tilt bar,means for connecting said tilt bar to said supporting member forrelative rotation, said means comprising in part fittings secured to theends of said rtilt bar and having connecting portions so disposedrelative to said tilt bar that the axis of rotation thereof is elevatedat least to the plane of the top of said bar, an eye in the top of saidtilt bar intermediate its ends, and a member engaging said eye forpivotal relative movement on an axis substantially coincident with theaxis of said ttings.

9. A fitting for a Venetian blind tilt bar oomprising a member adaptedto be inserted in said tilt bar midway between the top and bottomsurfaces thereof, said tting having a portion extending therefrom insuch spaced relation to the .part inserted in the bar that when 'thefitting is properly inserted :ln thebansuchex-tensiondenes an axis ofrotation of the bar above the body of the bar.

10. A 'tting for a Venetian blind tilt bar comprising a member adaptedto be inserted in said tilt bar midway between the top and bottomsurfaces thereof, said fitting having ya flat ta -like portion extendingtherefrom 'in such spaced relation Ito the part inserted in the bar thatwhen the fitting is properly inserted in the bar, such extension denesan aids of rotation of the bar above the body of the bar.

11. A fitting for a Venetian blind tilt bar com'- prising a memberadapted to be inserted in said tilt bar midway between Ithe top andbottom surfaces thereof, said fitting having a trunnion pin portionextending therefrom in such spaced relation to the pant inserted in thebar that when the tting is properly inserted in the bar, such trunnionpin denes an axis of rotation of the bar above the body of the bar.

H ANS -K. LORENTZEN.

